THPL can drive us to extremes. We get focused on a goal and we put in place the plan, the actions and follow through and at all costs we drive to the outcome we targeted. This is the formula for how we get to higher and better levels of performance. Today, I witnessed a good example of how we need to think beyond the “outcome”, to make sure that we think a bit more holistically about what matters in the Life element of THPL. And the reminder is that the connections we have with people close to us really matter.

Rafael Nadal won his ninth French Open championship today. The most ever won by a tennis player (a THPL moment for sure). It was a very tough match, one fought out till the last stroke. But moments after the win and the proverbial consolation handshake, Rafael jumped up into the stands and worked his way to his family and friends, to give them hugs and thank them for their support. Think of it, his first real thought after winning, was I need to connect with the people who matter to me in my life. I need to hug them and show them, even if for only a moment, that they are important to me and I need to be connected to them. The collective smiles were captivating and the moment etched in my mind as a key element of how we need to think about our own version of THPL.

There is no question that along the THPL journey we each receive support and encouragement, from our friends and family, as we live our individual version of THPL. We need to remember that this is as important a pillar of our success as is our activities. That the connections we make with those close to us matter greatly. We need to remind ourselves that alone we are good - together we are great. There are a lot of powerful emotions in this world but the “sense of belonging” can make us push harder, perform better, take more risks because we know that all will be ok regardless of the outcome. And so it is that we remind ourselves all the time that connecting with the people who matter is integral to our lives of high performance and how we pursue our version of THPL.